


I Loved Her First

by SomberSecrets



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Croissants, F/M, Father-Daughter Relationship, Fluff, Memories, Only Sabine Has It Together, Romance, Tom Has Feelings, Tom Is A Sweetheart, Tom is the Best Dad, Wedding, adrienette - Freeform, post-reveal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-07
Updated: 2018-10-07
Packaged: 2019-07-27 11:53:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16218500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SomberSecrets/pseuds/SomberSecrets
Summary: On Marinette's wedding day, Tom reminisces.





	I Loved Her First

**Author's Note:**

> I heard the song "I Loved Her First" by Heartland and all I could think about was this is how Tom would feel about Adrien marrying Marinette, so here is a fic based on that moment.

Tom Dupain took a slow, hard drink. It wasn’t often that he partook in his favourite drink, whiskey on the rocks, but tonight was definitely a night to let go and enjoy all the lovely things. All of the loveliest things. The loveliest of all, obviously, being his daughter swaying on the starlit dance floor, with her elegant white dress wrapping around her, and her new husband in her arms.

Tom sighed as he set his glass down and rested his chin in the palm of his hand, Marinette’s laughter making his heart glow and his body feel warm. The look on her face, the shine of her eyes as she looked at her new husband, Tom was sure that he had never seen her so happy.

“Tom?” His eyes didn’t move from his daughter, even when his wife placed a hand on his shoulder, “Are you okay sweet?”

Tom watched as Marinette laughed in delight as Adrien twirled her out and then brought her back in, his hold on her firm but gentle, easy as his hands traced the curve of her waist and his knuckles brushed the apples of her cheeks. Her face flushed in delight and adoration as her hand went up to entwine her fingers with his. “Look at the two of them dancing,” Tom murmured, “It’s like they’re alone in this place.”

Sabine simply laughed as she took a seat beside her husband and took his other hand into both of hers, “They’re just lost in the moment.”

“Were we like this on our wedding day?” Tom squeezed her hand tightly, feeling Sabine’s wedding ring against his skin. With a smile his gaze finally broke from the movement of his daughter and her husband over the dance floor and he lifted his head and turned it to face his wife.

Sabine held up one hand to her mouth and held back a giggle, her grey eyes shining at him, “I don’t remember anything else but the sight of you, do you?”

Tom sighed again and brought his other hand up to her cheek in a reflection of the couple he was so mesmerized by, “No… I don’t.”

“Then I think you have your answer.”

Tom smiled at her, gentle and caring as he looked back at their daughter, “You know… she used to only look at me that way.”

“She was daddy’s little girl… or more like she had you around her little finger.”

Tom chortled, “From the moment I met her.”

Sabine adjusted her hold, bringing her hands further up Tom’s arm as she held him closer to her, “You know that she’ll always be your little girl.”

Tom sniffled, “Yeah.”

* * *

 

“Papa, papa… someday I’m going to marry someone just like you.”

Tom caught the whirlwind sprite as she launched herself at him and swung her into the air and into his arms, “Like me sweetheart?”

Marinette’s blue eyes sparkled at him, “Kind and caring and who gives the best hugs. The best kind of person. Just like you.”

* * *

 

“Tom you’re crying.”

“I’m so happy she found him.”

“Oh goodness dear, let me get you a tissue… or five.”

* * *

 

“Um papa?” Marinette stuck her head into the bakery, immediately her nose wrinkled, “You promised me you wouldn’t make a big deal out of this.”

“I haven’t!” Tom hummed cheerily, unperturbed in his croissant baking. Marinette turned her eyes to her mother, who simply shrugged and rolled her eyes affectionately.

“I’m sorry dear, I did try to stop him.”

“Just because I said he likes croissants didn’t mean that you should fill the whole place with them,” Marinette teased as she finally pulled her whole self into the small shop, along with her came a blonde haired, green eyed boy, “Adrien, please re-meet my maman and papa, he’s less calm than when you met him before, and maman, papa… please re-meet my… um, erm,” Marinette blushed brightly, “Boyfriend.”

Adrien rubbed the back of his neck, a glowing smile on his face as he continued to hold Marinette’s hand, “Hello Mr. Dupain, Mrs. Cheng, I’m uh… I’m dating your daughter.”

Sabine turned away to murmur a loud “finally” knowing that Marinette and Adrien would definitely hear her, a teasing smile on her face when she turned right back around.

“Maman!” Marinette hissed, embarrassment evident in her voice.

Pleased to tease her daughter, Sabine simply addressed a similarly flushed Adrien, “Pleasure to see you again Adrien, as you can see my husband and I have been expecting you and…” Sabine turned to her husband, “Tom?”

The large man was simply shaking, a fresh baking sheet of croissants in his oven-gloved hands. Marinette startled, “Papa?”

“Um… Mr. Dupain?”

“Oh goodness dear.”

Tom sniffled as tears ran down his face, “Please… call me Tom and have as many croissants as you would like my son.”

* * *

 

“There, there sweetheart,” Sabine murmured as she patted Tom on the shoulder while shoving a box of tissues into his lap.

Tom nodded in appreciation and ripped a couple out of the box, “She’ll always mean the world to me.”

“She knows.” Sabine murmured comfortingly.

Tom nodded rapidly as he blew his nose. “I loved her first,” he muttered.

Sabine tapped him on the nose, “Nah ah.”

“I loved her second.”

“There we go.”

* * *

 

The door swung open, “Oh Adrien! It’s been so long since we’ve seen you dear, come on inside.”

“Mrs. Cheng… Mr. Dupain.”

“Have we not kicked that habit yet dear?” Sabine giggled, “Sabine and Tom, please.”

Adrien simply rubbed the back of his neck and stepped into the bakery, “My apologies.”

Tom popped his head out of the back, “Is something wrong with Marinette?”

Adrien waved his hands, “No, no. She’s doing great!”

“Oh why isn’t she with you today?”

“Um actually I wanted to come talk to you alone today,” Adrien murmured.

Sabine winced as a pan in the back clattered on the ground, followed by a couple more. Before her husband could come barging out, probably covered in flour, Sabine coaxed Adrien to a stool, “You know you don’t have to ask us for permission.”

Adrien laughed, “I’m not. I’m sure Marinette would object if I had even thought to try. I just wanted to let you know.”

Tom popped out of the back, showering flour all around him, “Oh god, how long has it been?”

“We’ve been going out for nearly five years Mr. Dupain.”

“Five years! Time passes by so fast…” Tom muttered, his hands scuttling across his apron. “When?”

“Tomorrow,” Adrien grinned, his face radiating sunshine.

Sabine held her hands up to her chest, “Do you have it with you?”

Adrien nodded as he dug into his pocket. Tom rushed to his wife’s side as they both leaned in to see Adrien open the little ring box, “Oh my son, she’s going to love it.”

“I hope she does. She’s given me so much happiness and I want to spend everyday of the rest of our lives giving her the same."

“I’m so happy it’s you.”

Sabine smiled at the awe on Adrien’s face, “Thank you... Tom.”

Tom chuckled, trying to hold back tears, “Just as you’ve kicked the habit, now you’ll have to call me dad.”

Adrien cringed happily as Sabine giggled.

* * *

 

“Papa, are you crying?” Marinette murmured as she knelt down in front of Tom.

“Happy tears Marinette,” Tom murmured as he wiped at his eyes, “Don’t let your dad get in the way of your special day.”

Marinette simply tilted her head and then shook it fondly, “You’re a part of my special day papa. Can we dance?” Tom nodded as he stood up. He turned his head to the side to see Adrien across the room talking to his best friend and best man, the DJ, and suddenly a heartfelt father-daughter song came on. “Adrien saw that you were looking kind of down,” Marinette whispered as she took her father’s hand and arm, “You’ll always have a place in my heart, you know that right papa?”

Tom sighed as he adjusted his hold to bring his daughter close, “You’ve had one since before you were born my pumpkin.”

Marinette giggled, “I hope so papa.”

“I’m so glad you found a good man.”

“I had a good role model to base him off of.”

“You’re gonna make your father cry.”

Marinette laughed, “You’re already crying.”

* * *

 

“And so, the princess and the prince teamed up to defeat the evil dragon. The kingdom was saved.”

“Did the princess and prince live happily ever after?”

Tom slowly closed the small book, “They did pumpkin.” He tapped her on the nose and Marinette let out a string of giggles.

“I hope I meet my prince someday.”

“I’m sure you will, but even if you don’t, you can defeat those dragons all by yourself.”

“Really papa?”

“My little Marinette can move mountains!”

Marinette squealed in delight as she hugged her father around his large torso. Sabine slowly cracked open the door, “It’s bedtime.”

“Aww, maman, papa was going to read me another story!”

“Tomorrow night, how about?”

Marinette pouted as her father stood up and began to tuck her into bed. “Do you really think I can really move mountains?”

“You can do anything you set your heart on.”

* * *

 

The song ended and Tom sighed as he saw Marinette’s eyes drift behind him. Understanding the cue, Tom turned around and faced Adrien, “Son.”

“I’m sorry to interrupt... Tom,” Adrien murmured awkwardly as his gaze drifted over to Marinette, the softest and most loving of expressions on his face. Even Tom could see that the boy saw the universe in her eyes.

“Did I not tell you to call me dad?”

“Papa,” Marinette whined as she side bumped her father.

Tom simply chuckled as he passed Marinette’s hand over to Adrien’s, “Take care of her.” Between the two men, they both knew the sentiment was beyond this simple moment.

Adrien nodded taking both of Marinette’s hands in his own, “Til my dying day,” he paused and smiled at Marinette, who squeezed his hands back, and met his gaze, “And maybe even beyond.”

Tom nodded and slowly ambled back to Sabine, having seen that his daughter saw the universe in the young man’s eyes as well.

* * *

 

Tom chewed on his nails, “What do you think they’re doing up there?”

“Probably playing games like Marinette said they would be,” Sabine giggled, “But I have a plate of croissants and then a plate of cookies… and also a salmon and spinach pie in case you want to check in.”

Tom’s eyes widened in happiness as he hugged his wife. “You are the most wonderful!”

“I know, I know,” Sabine laughed at her husband’s affection, “You know, he’s the boy she has plastered all over her walls.”

Tom sighed, “Oh, I know.”

“It’ll only be a matter of time.”

Tom groaned, “I know.”

* * *

 

Tom took his seat back down at Sabine’s side. “How did your father handle this?”

Sabine grinned, “He didn’t. Remember? He tried to turn down your marriage proposal for me and cried when I berated him.”

“Oh yes… that incident.”

“He loved you really.”

“Well, I can’t blame him now.”

“You did well my sweet,” Sabine murmured as she kissed Tom on the cheek, “Although he was ‘most half your size, he did give you a fright.”

Tom laughed, “Well, I wanted to marry you.”

Sabine patted his arm, “And you did.”

Tom turned his gaze back to the couple, once again dancing on the floor as though there were no one else around, “Someday he’s going to know what I’m going through.”

“I don’t think he’ll handle it any better.”

“No?”

“No.”

“Good.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> Tom is the best.
> 
> Thanks to my beta-reader, Saikonas, who I managed to make teary. This is what I was going for. I have been validated.


End file.
